


No Good, Very Bad Day

by adjectivebear (HealerAriel)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Infertility, Menstruation, comfort cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:57:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4282866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HealerAriel/pseuds/adjectivebear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mairead is having a lousy day. Alistair tries to help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No Good, Very Bad Day

Mairead tossed her bloodied rag in the basket by the door and threw herself face-first onto the bed, the throbbing aches in her head and abdomen no match for the one in her heart. She’d been so hopeful this time, so  _sure_. They’d been following the midwives’ instructions to the letter, she’d even been late! Why was it  _still_  not working?

She buried her face in the pillows, making no effort to fight the hot tears prickling behind her eyes.  

And exactly  _what_  in the Void had possessed her to visit Goldanna today?

Goldanna, who was, if possible, even angrier in a large manor with a full complement of servants than she had been scraping by as a laundress. Goldanna, who Mairead had yet to hear utter a single word not dripping with venom and spite. Goldanna, who did nothing but  _bitch_  about her five healthy children when Mairead couldn’t even have  _one._

She punched the mattress just as the door creaked open.

“Mairead?” Alistair called. “Is everything…” his voice trailed off as he entered the room. As he saw the basket. “Oh.”

The mattress dipped, and Mairead rolled onto her side, sniffling as he curled up behind her.

“No baby, then?”

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak.

He hugged her, pressing a kiss to her hair. “You know, it’s not the end of the world if we can’t have one. We’d hardly be the first people who didn’t manage an heir.”

“I don’t want an  _heir_ , I want a  _child_ ,” she said past the tightness in her throat. “I want to have a  _family_.”

“I know. I do, too.” He swept her hair away from her face, freeing several tear-soaked locks from her cheeks. “But do you remember what you told me when my sister wouldn’t have me? That you’re my family? Well, that goes both ways, love.” He squeezed her tight. “ _I’m_  your family. Always.”

A fresh wave of  _feelings_  washed over Mairead, and she sobbed.

“I’d, er, actually hoped that would make you feel  _better,_ ” Alistair said sheepishly.

Mairead laughed tearfully and turned in his arms, burying her face in his chest. “Maker, I fucking  _love_  you.” She clung to him, sniffling into his shirt as he rocked her, his fingers carding gently through her hair. She laughed again. “Speaking of your sister…”


End file.
